


If We Fall, We'll Fall Together

by BlackIrises



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Bit of Fluff, Confident Harry, M/M, One Shot, Short, bit of angst, i've got nothing else to put here, larry - Freeform, larry stylinson - Freeform, light pre-coming out fic, nervous little louis, whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-28 22:03:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3871345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackIrises/pseuds/BlackIrises
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“But I’m still terrified… I mean, what if the crowd boos us off stage, or the fans hate us for it?” He glanced over at his boyfriend, who was still seated on the couch. “What if we ruin One Direction?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	If We Fall, We'll Fall Together

"I don't think I can do this..." Louis whispered nervously, eyes wide and scared as they stared over at the mirror only a couple of feet away. He was sat on the couch in his dressing room, his hands a quivering disaster in his lap. In five minutes, he was to go on air with the other boys and reveal his biggest secret. In five minutes, his life would forever change.

"Nonsense," sounded Harry's voice, seemingly coming from nowhere. Louis turned around, spotting the tall boy leaning against the frame of his dressing room door. "You're the bravest person I know - of course you can do this." He kicked off the wall, lips falling into a slight frown as Louis began to shake his head.

"'M not brave, Harry. Soldiers are brave. Police officers are brave. Firemen are brave. I'm-"

"Pretty fucking brave, too. Albeit not in the same way," Harry finished. He took a seat next to Louis, not hesitating to coil one of his long arms around Louis' hunched shoulders. The smaller boy instantly responded, shifting the majority of his weight from the couch cushions to Harry's broad torso.

"And how's that?" He all but snapped, gaze dropping down to the floor. He wasn’t brave - no, not in the slightest. If he was, they would’ve already been out. The weight of the stress that gruellingly held the rest of the boys and the fans down would’ve already been lifted. Harry and him would’ve already been walking hand-in-hand in public without worrying about sneaky paps.

Everything would’ve already been okay, but it wasn’t. All because of Louis’ absolute lack of bravery. He was the one that had chosen to stay in the closet for the past four and a half years, only changing his mind once the drama of fake relationships and management had become too much to handle. Harry, on the other hand, had always wanted to be out and proud, but was two-hundred percent supportive of Louis’ decision because it was his job, as the amazing boyfriend he prided himself in being, to be completely supportive.

“Well for starters, you’ve been dealing with mental loads of hate and pressure for almost five years now.” Harry took Louis’ chin between his long fingers, pulling upwards lightly until his green eyes met blue.

“Okay, but…” Louis sighed, “So have you and the other boys. S’not much different.”

“Not much different?” Eyebrows shot up, the curly-haired boy couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Who’re you trying to fool, Lou? You easily receive more hate than all of us combined because of the way management projects you to the media.” His deep voice took on an unusually bitter tone. “Making you out to be some sort of homophobic, emotionless, rude party boy… I can’t stand it. You’re not like that _at all_ , but they’re making you seem to be a horrible person, and… Fuck, Lou. You’ve got all these haters that none of us have and-”

Louis cut his ramblings off with a glare, having already heard Harry’s issue with how he was portrayed to the public at least three hundred and twenty times prior.

“ _Fine_ ,” Harry grumbled, jutting his lower lip forward in an exaggerated pout before continuing. “But the fact that you’re still alright after having to keep silent and smiling while shit's been thrown at you for the past five years?” He chuckled, shaking his head. “If that’s not bravery, I don’t know what is.”

“Then apparently you don’t know what bravery is.”

“Don’t get sassy with me, Mr. Tomlinson. You know what bravery is? Bravery is simultaneously coming out to millions of people as bisexual and dating a fellow bandmate of the same sex all the while knowing perfectly well of the chaos it may amount to. Bravery is putting on a smile even when you’re feeling like crap just to make the people who look up to you happy. Bravery is standing up for what you believe in and calling out anyone who gets in your way. Bravery is-”

“Alright, alright. I get it. No need to get so passionate, H.” Louis stood up, running both hands through his fringe. “But I’m still fucking terrified… I mean, what if they boo us off stage, or the fans hate us for it?” He glanced over at his boyfriend, who was still seated on the couch. “What if we ruin One Direction?”

The mixture of worry in Louis’ eyes and rawness in his voice sent a shiver through Harry, who jumped upwards to grab at the shorter boy’s small hands. “Hey, don’t say that,” he murmured, tugging Louis closer until the two were wrapped in an embrace. Rubbing circles into Louis’ back, Harry hummed. “Everything’s gonna be alright, you hear me? They’re not going to boo us off stage, the fans are going to go crazy - in a good way, of course - and we’re definitely not going to ruin One Direction. If anything, we’re going to get stronger, and better, because we won’t have to hide such a major part of ourselves anymore. Besides, if we don’t come out today because we’re scared that we’ll be the end of One Direction, I’m pretty sure Liam and Niall’ll have our heads.” The twenty-one year old paused to nuzzle into the crook of Louis' neck. "Look, as long as we have each other, it doesn't matter what happens. Whatever _does_ happen out there will never change us. We're always gonna be Harry and Louis, and being out to the world is never gonna make me change the way I feel about you."

Harry’s words hit Louis hard, and before the younger boy knew it, Louis was suddenly escaping from his arms with a determined glint in his eyes. The change of emotion almost shocked Harry, but he’d been Louis’ boyfriend for too long to be surprised by occasional mood swings.

“You’re right,” Louis said, looking over at the digital clock stationed at the far wall of the dressing room. They really didn’t have much time left before their interview, probably less than a minute until they’d be called on stage, but at the moment, Louis didn’t mind. “We’re going to be fine. We’re going to be out, and we’re going to finally be fine.” The confidence Harry loved to see returned to his features just as a loud knock on the door jolted their attentions elsewhere.

“Time to get on stage, you two.” Liam’s voice called through the thin wood.

“Got it.” Harry responded, a smirk of excitement stretching across his rosy lips. He’d been waiting for this moment for years, and now that it was finally here, he could hardly control his enthusiasm. Louis could tell, as his lips were being assaulted by Harry's seconds later, his boyfriend's warmth wrapping around his body and bouncing him around. “We’re gonna be free, Lou.” He whispered, separating their lips to look his boyfriend in the eye.  He noticed that Louis no longer seemed scared, but instead seemed to have been somewhat infected by his own enthusiasm.

“I know.” The caramel-haired boy smiled, pecking Harry’s lips one last time before walking away. He kept only their hands connected, and together they left the dressing room.

The stage was only mere feet away, bright spotlights as intimidating as they’d ever been. Louis audibly gulped.

“Don’t worry, babe,” Harry’s voice filled his ear, their hands tightening. “Everything’s gonna be alright. Remember that, yeah?” The taller boy leaned down to brush his lips against Louis’ temple. He could feel the eyes of the studio crew on him, but for once in his life he couldn’t find the need to care.

“I love you,” Louis breathed, so quietly that Harry almost didn’t catch it.

Onstage, where the interviewer had been saying her spiel,  she motioned to where the members of One Direction stood, inviting them forward.

Harry squeezed Louis’ hand one last time. “I love you too.” He stated, and then they were walking on stage, hand in hand, ready to face anything the future would throw at them as long as they had each other.

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's been done ten thousand times before, but I couldn't get this idea out of my head so here it is...  
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.  
> -Sarah xx


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